


For What Ales You

by espiritus



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: BFFs, Best Friends, Cait third-wheels it up, Cait's just there for the booze, Deacon is chill AF, Drunken Shenanigans, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Fun, Mac and Cait tolerate each other's existences, Mac has jealousy issues, bit of a weird ending, but they both love Von, good times in Goodneighbor, so there's that I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-09 21:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12284604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/espiritus/pseuds/espiritus
Summary: Just Von and her closest friends (weirdos that they are) enjoying a night out.





	For What Ales You

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything since my surgery; I've been zapped lately. So this is my attempt at doing something that's not lying in bed all day (I say, as I type from the laptop in my bedroom)~ I hope you enjoy, and thanks for supporting my work. :)

Friday nights at the Third Rail had a reputation for being loud and chaotic. But tonight was especially so, as the Commonwealth had cause to celebrate: the Institute had fallen, all thanks to one very brave, very stubborn vault dweller and a few of her friends.

While everyone else was busy making poor life choices, Von sat on a red chaise in the VIP lounge, drinking wine straight out of the bottle as she observed the craziness from the safety of her self-imposed sanctuary. Sweaty mob scenes made her nervous, and being surrounded by strangers on all sides was definitely not her idea of a good time. But Cait and MacCready seemed so desperate to drag her out of her shell that she'd decided to humour them.

Just then, she heard footsteps in the hallway and glanced up to see both of them standing there, drinks in hand. "There y'are," Cait exclaimed, throwing her arms around her best friend's neck as she took a seat to her right. "I didn' think ye were actually gonna show up, since I know how ye feel 'bout strangers. That's why we got Whitechapel to give us this room. Only the closest of close friends here. Right, darlin'?"

Von nodded, the hint of a smile flickering over her face as Mac took the spot to her left. "Well, how about that," he declared, sliding an arm around her shoulders as he pulled her in for a kiss. "This is where we met- you and me, and those two dead Gunners who didn't know they were dead yet. It might even be romantic, if it was just the two of us."

He gave her another kiss, this one longer and far less chaste than the last. Cait shielded her eyes and made gagging sounds from Von's other side. "Get a room, you two."

"This _is_ a room," Mac teased, a satisfied smirk playing about his lips. "You're welcome to leave anytime."

"Oh, shove off."

Von laughed and gave him a playful swat, but winked in response. "Later," she whispered, as she turned to face Cait again. "We'll have all the time in the world for that once we get to the island. For now, all I want is for my two favourite people to play nice with each other.

"Aw," her best friend sniffed. "N' here I thought ye wanted to snuggle."

In response, Von just smiled as she lay back against Mac's chest, sighing contentedly as Cait flopped into the crook of her arm. "You guys are the best," she enthused- truthfully, though the liquor she'd consumed was doing its share of talking at this point. "Weird as fuck, but that's why I love you guys. Don't ever change."

"You know what they say," Mac added, giving her hand a squeeze. "You're only as strong as your drink of choice, and the friends you drink it with. For the record, nothing about our first meeting was romantic. Maybe, when Duncan asks how we met, I'll tell him I saved you from a behemoth or something."

"Fine by me," Von replied, the corners of her mouth twitching as she tried to contain a smile. "One behemoth story, coming right up!"

"Right," Cait drawled sarcastically. "Just so y'know, I'd believe Deacon's story 'bout teachin' a deathclaw the power of friendship before I'd believe that."

She flashed a cocky grin and stuck her tongue out at Mac, who frowned but said nothing. Yes, Cait was crass and abrasive, but she was Von's best friend, which gave her immunity... especially while the latter was still squished between them.

Just then, they were interrupted by a strange-looking drifter who entered the room. He was wearing full Gunner garb, most of his face obscured by a bandana. Von felt Mac's hand tighten around hers- understandable, given his history with the Gunners. But she caught a glimpse of the man's eyes, which looked oddly familiar.

"Deacon? Did you follow us here?"

"Totally did. Everyone else is here too, and Hancock says he'll pick up the tab on this entire celebration if you let us join the fun."

Von eyed him suspiciously, shaking her head as she took another sip of her drink. "Nice try," she said, the hint of a laugh in her voice. "We already talked about this, Deacon: no more lies, stories, half-truths... or whatever you're calling it these days And, besides, you've gotta do better than that if you want to pull the wool over my eyes."

As she said it, Deacon's eyes sparkled with mischief and he grinned as though he'd just put fertilizer in someone's pillow. "You got me," he admitted, still smiling like a schoolboy in a candy shop. "No one else is here, and I'm sure as hell not picking up the entire tab. But I'll gladly buy _you_ a drink, for saving the world. Sky's the limit, Courser Killer."

"All right, then," she agreed, as they clinked glasses. "You sure know how to flatter a girl, Deacon... If that's even your real name. Now, who'd you kill to get that outfit?"

"Would you believe me if I said I bought it off some drifter dude on the side of the road?"

The others glanced at each other and all shook their heads, at which Deacon gave them a casual thumbs-up. "Damn," he went on. "I'm getting rusty. Now, how about that drink, Boss?"

Von thought about this for a second, and she nodded. "Sure thing," she said. "But I go with you, and I watch it being made- I don't trust you not to spike it with radscorpion venom, or truth serum, or something equally weird."

She stood to follow him and, as she did, gave Mac and Cait a meaningful look. "You two behave," she insisted, gesturing with her drink. "If there's even one speck of dust out of place when I get back, I'll have to find myself new best friends."

"Oi," Cait interjected. "Whatcha mean best _friends?_ Y'only got one of those, n' it's me."

Mac raised an eyebrow at her. "Best friends?" he added, his face mirroring the one Dogmeat usually made when she scolded him for trying to eat the fever blossoms she'd planted. "I'm pretty sure that line's long crossed."

"She's kidding, you idiot," Deacon piped up. "But, if you're on the market for a new best friend, Boss, count me in."

He threw an arm around her shoulder, a gesture that was rewarded with dagger eyes from Mac. "Watch yourself, Agent," he demanded. "You try anything with her, and I'll pump you so full of lead that you'll crap bullets for the rest of your life. Deal?"

"Seriously? Dude, chill the fuck out. Nothing like a spa day, or maybe some macramé, to get rid of all that tension. Now, how about a group hug?"

The girls were happy to oblige, but Mac shook his head and stayed where he was. "Be quick about it," he finally said, gesturing to the doorway. "If you're not back here in five minutes, I'll come and find you."

"Christ," Cait sighed. "Simmer down, Seamus MacFuckYerself. It's not like she's leavin' the Commonwealth."

Inwardly, Von rolled her eyes before turning around to give Mac's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be quick," she promised, her voice both firm and calm at once. "The lines are longer than usual, though we shouldn't be any more than a few minutes. If you need me, you know where I'll be."

With that, she made her exit, Deacon trailing behind her like a well-trained puppy. Wordlessly, Mac and Cait glanced at each other, then folded their arms across their chests and looked in opposite directions, determined to hold those positions until Von returned.


End file.
